Brand South Africa appeals for tolerance across communities

Brand South Africa has echoed government’s call and has urged all Global South Africans to support the efforts to stop the attacks on foreign nationals. “We cannot allow attacks on foreign nationals in our country”.

South Africa is internationally renowned for using dialogue to solve differences and problems peacefully. As a peace-loving and law-abiding nation, we are using this noble approach to deal with our problems instead of using violence. The South African government is receptive to people’s needs and urges all citizens to use relevant platforms to express their concerns and frustrations, including talking to elected officials in their communities.

Anger and violence will never provide sustainable solutions to challenges, but will only bring strife and suffering. We appeal to citizens to play their part in ending these attacks on foreign nationals to exercise restraint and calm. Brand South Africa is the agency mandated to manage the reputation of South Africa while positioning the country as an investment and tourist-friendly destination of choice.

We urge communities to assist the police by providing information so that the perpetrators of violence and crime can be brought to justice without delay. Government will ensure justice for all and speed up the process of convicting criminals.

While we strongly condemn the attacks, we are aware of, and are addressing some of the issues that have been raised by affected parties.

We appeal to our people to support and protect refugees and asylum seekers. We also urge those concerned to refrain from using Facebook, Twitter and other social-media platforms to incite violence. We all have a responsibility to promote social cohesion, peaceful coexistence and good relations in the country.

Foreign nationals help us to develop a cosmopolitan atmosphere and we welcome their presence. We also want to see an increase in tourism figures from African countries and to share business opportunities, as part of promoting sustainable economic development in the continent.

Two weeks ago President Jacob Zuma cancelled his visit to Indonesia, and instead visited displaced foreign nationals in Chatsworth to assure them of the support as government of South Africa. The President also engaged with the Umlazi community to spread the message of peace and tolerance. Last week, in the week commencing 20 April he led a stakeholder outreach programme around the country to engage communities to start a conversation within our society. He also met with the leaders who are representatives of foreign nationals in South Africa.

At the SA Chamber of Commerce Business Awards held last week Thursday the Brand South Africa UK Country Head, Pumela Salela asked the audience to stand to observe a minutes silence in honour of all those who had lost their lives as a result of the recent attacks. The audience were presented with small bags containing a candle accompanied by a card bearing the slogan “WE ARE AFRICA” with a map of Africa to show solidarity with the victims of the unfortunate acts in South Africa and to draw a clear line of condemnation thereof. Salela recalled the words of Nelson Mandela and asked the audience to repeat a pledge to ensure that such acts would never be allowed to happen again and referred to the hashtag that is trending on social media # NotInOurName

Brand South Africa also supported and took part in a peace march from Parliament Square in Westminster to Trafalgar Square. The event was organised by South Africans in the UK and members of the African diaspora. The message of “We Are Africa” was carried on placards appealing for tolerance across communities and a call to South Africans to “Play their Part” to Stop Xenophobia. The peace march reinforced President Zuma’s message that the South African government believes in dealing with the challenges we face together and in finding collective solutions so that these attacks do not happen again.

In his Freedom Day address to the Nation, President Zuma applauded South Africans for coming out in their thousands in the past week to register their condemnation of the attacks directed at foreign nationals. He said; “The marches have demonstrated that we are peace loving people who believe in human dignity, human rights and Ubuntu, and that South Africans are opposed to xenophobia, racism and all related intolerances.”

Pumela Salela, Brand South Africa UK Country Head says, “Many South Africans at all levels of society have condemned xenophobia and everything is being done to prevent the scourge from happening again.”

Brand South Africa will continue to drive the “WE ARE AFRICA” campaign through the months of May and June in the UK partnering with various stakeholders from the African community so that we can provide platforms for engagement to ensure that we promote and contribute to peaceful resolutions through dialogue.